Twitter users on Thursday night were comparing Kobe Bryant’s torn Achilles injury a few years ago with LeBron James’ leg cramp after the Miami Heat lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
James was taken out of the game in the final minutes due to the cramp.
After that, people were questioning James’ toughness and posted images of Michael Jordan’s “The Flu Game” during the NBA Finals in 1997 where he collapsed in teammate Scottie Pippen’s arms.
But they mostly compared Bryant’s making of two free throws in 2013 after he tore his Achilles.
“People comparing LBJ being carried off to Kobs’s walking off with a torn Achilles are idiots,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Added another, “To compare a torn Achilles to cramps is kinda wierd because you can feel cramps and when you get your Achilles torn you can’t feel it.”
Said another, “Lol at LeBron leaving the game with cramps... Kobe hits two clutch free throws with a torn achilles... LeBron is in it for himself.”
“Oh yeah, and Lebron got carried off cause of a cramp. Kobe made 2 free throws and walked off w/ Torn Achilles. Oh alright then,” wrote another.
Tweeted another, “Laughing hysterically to all the medical experts comparing AIDS, a flue and a partially torn Achilles to a muscle cramp....”
Former Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas was more sympathetic, saying that Jordan wouldn’t have been able to play through James’ cramps.
“There is no athlete on the planet who could’ve played through those cramps,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports. “Michael Jordan absolutely couldn’t have played through those cramps. I absolutely couldn’t have played through those cramps. As an athlete, there’s nothing you could do.”
“There’s no way you could play that way,” Thomas added. “People have to understand that – just no way.” In Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals, Thomas scored 25 points on a bad ankle, hobbling the whole time.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Spurs beat the Heat. Miami couldn’t beat the heat.
And there was the story of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
With LeBron James unable to play in the final 3:59 because of cramps, and on a night where an air conditioning failure inside San Antonio’s arena had temperatures hovering near 90 degrees, the Heat simply withered in the final minutes. With their four-time MVP reduced to a spectator, Miami watched as San Antonio pulled away in the final minutes for a 110-95 win on Thursday night in the opener of the title series.
James scored the last of his 25 points on a layup that got Miami within two. That was the end of his night; he stood still on the baseline afterward, unable to move his left leg because of cramping.
His night was over, and soon, so was the game. The Spurs outscored the Heat by 13 the rest of the way, and took the series-opener for the second straight finals.
The Heat were outscored 36-17 in the fourth quarter.
Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, Chris Bosh added 18 and Ray Allen scored 16 for Miami. Rashard Lewis added 10 for the Heat.
“I think it felt like a punch in the gut when you see your leader limping like that back to the bench,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But at the same time we still had an opportunity.”
James has dealt with cramping issues several times in the past, including during the 2012 NBA Finals against Oklahoma City — in a game in Miami.
“We’re used to having the hotter arena,” Spoelstra said.
Spoelstra insisted that the Heat would not use the temperature as an excuse, and said James tried to return to the game shortly after the cramp knocked him out.
“I just looked at him and said, ‘Don’t even think about it. You can’t even move,’” Spoelstra said.
Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Tony Parker added 19 points and Manu Ginobili finished with 16 points and 11 assists for San Antonio, which improved to 10-1 at home in the playoffs.
James was affected throughout the second half, asking for breaks more than once, and some players placed ice bags on the backs of their necks in an effort to combat the temperature.
Duncan said the heat was a significant factor in the game.
“I don’t know what happened to LeBron, but I think all of us were feeling the heat,” Duncan said. “We were all dehydrated.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged afterward that James’ departure obviously played a role in the finish, though lauded the way his team executed in the deciding minutes.
“Certainly could have been a different story. There’s no doubt about that,” Popovich said.
It’s not the first time electricity has had a significant impact on a championship event in recent years. The Super Bowl in 2013 between Baltimore and San Francisco was marred by a power outage at the Superdome in New Orleans, interrupting play for 34 minutes.
Power was the culprit in Game 1 of the finals as well, arena officials said.
“An electrical failure for the power that runs the AC system in the AT&T Center has occurred,” Spurs Sports and Entertainment said in a statement distributed in the second half. “We are continuing to work on resolving the problem. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
Many fans removed the giveaway black T-shirts handed out before the game, obviously wanting to wear as few layers inside the steamy building as possible.
“They’re trying to smoke us out of here,” James told teammates during one stoppage in play.
With 1:14 left, he limped out, not long after throwing a towel to the court in frustration.
